Right Hand, Left Hand?

It took me by surprise the first time I had a left-handed child on my team.  Not that this was shocking, and it wasn't that I'd never seen anyone who was left-handed...  I just wasn't ready for that.  If you're coaching soccer, this is largely a non-issue, because the kids will kick how they kick...  but for the other sports, clearly it's a different story.

Throwing a baseball or football left-handed is largely the same as throwing right handed.  The mechanics are all the same, just on the other side.  Point, step (with the proper foot), then throw...  But - for me at least - teaching kids to shoot a basketball left-handed has always brought me a special challenge.  In a future post, I'm sure I'll get to the "L" and proper basketball shooting form...  regardless "how" you shoot a basketball - I challenge you to try it with your off-hand.  

It is vital to recognize who is left-handed, and aside from setting up drills accordingly - pay special attention to shooting form.  This is the best age to start stressing "proper form" - even though many younger kids have no option other than the push-shot to get the ball anywhere near a 10-foot hoop.  Even if they need to improvise during the game, there's a lot of value in stressing the right form during practices.  As the kids grow, they will develop a more consistent shot, and therefore be more successful over the long-term when playing basketball.

After you've set your mind to shooting with your off-hand for the sake of teaching, I'm sure you'll find that you're in excellent position to adjust to all of the kids - regardless of which hand they prefer.